Aberystwyth run the risk of their first ever relegation from the Dafabet Welsh Premier League unless they can see off Rhyl in Good Friday’s big relegation clash.
The Green and Blacks sit two-points above 11th-placed Rhyl with two games remaining; victory for Aber would ensure safety and leave their North-Wales rivals facing relegation.
Rhyl simply must avoid defeat to take the relegation battle into the final weekend of the season, but face a difficult task with Aberystwyth seemingly coming into form since assistant manager Wayne Jones was handed full responsibility of first-team affairs last month.
Under Jones, Aberystwyth have earned four crucial points in their bid for survival with a draw against Cefn Druids followed up by last week’s win at Llandudno.
With the bonus of successive clean sheets under their belts, Aberystwyth also look to have tightened up defensively – an area which until recently, has hamstrung their game all season.
“The squad have been really good to be fair”, said Jones on his squad’s reaction to his unexpected appointment as manager.
“There’s been no major changes as such but we have worked on pressing higher and getting the ball back quicker. We’re trying to nullify the opponent’s dangermen more and going man-to-man on one or two and it’s started to work for us, so fingers crossed tomorrow will be no different for us.
“It’s not been easy with what’s happened to [former manager Matthew Bishop] over the last few weeks. I’ve been able to bring Tony Pennock in to assist me and with his added experience it has made the boys feel more relaxed around the place. It’s a case of that we’re a good team, we’re re-galvanised and if we cut the mistakes out that we have made, we would have had an extra 15-20 points on the board.”
Rhyl are also coming into Friday night’s game off a winning performance against Airbus last weekend, but Wayne Jones is hopeful his side can rise to the occasion in front of a bumper Park Avenue crowd.
“We went to watch Rhyl last Saturday so know quite a bit about them, it’s been a case of getting a game plan together and the boys have been right up for it in all fairness, I just hope they can carry it out on the day,” he said.
“I think tactically if we get it right like we have done in the last two games and cut out our silly mistakes, we’ll be ok.”
Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s – what can happen in the WPL on Good Friday
Connah’s Quay will clinch a top-three finish, secure an automatic European spot in the process, with a draw against Bala OR if Bangor City fail to beat TNS.
Carmarthen will finish fifth in the table and earn home advantage in their Europa League Play-Off against Cardiff Met, if they avoid defeat against the Met.
Newtown will cement a play-off spot by finishing seventh-place if they avoid defeat against Airbus OR if Llandudno fail to win.
Cefn Druids will be mathematically safe if they beat Llandudno.
Good Friday Dafabet Welsh Premier League fixtures (all 2.30 unless stated)
Airbus UK v Newtown, Bangor City v TNS, Carmarthen v Cardiff Met, Cefn Druids v Llandudno, Connah’s Quay v Bala Town, Aberystwyth v Rhyl (7.45)
Featured image courtesy of Chris Howells/Aberystwyth Town/Welsh Premier League
